Supporting people to live the life they want to live

Supporting people to live the life they want to live

You could say Commonwealth Psychosocial Support (CPS) recovery coaches are the ultimate problem solvers – a jack of all trades – and the work they do to support clients is highly individualised. They walk alongside clients to support and empower them to take charge of their own health and wellbeing journey. They are strong advocates for the amplification of the client voice – so clients feel heard, understood, and valued.

Psychosocial recovery coaches are an integral part of the impact the CPS program is having right across our footprint. The program is designed to support people whose mental health is impacting their ability to live the life they want to live. For some, this means they have been living with a formal diagnosis of a severe mental health concern, and for others, they may be experiencing the symptoms without a formal diagnosis.

A sense of reward and achievement

Alana, Psychosocial Recovery Coach, Dubbo, reflects that her job is a challenge – but a hugely rewarding challenge. The days are made up of such a wide variety of tasks – from simple administrative work to intensive one-on-one sessions with clients to ensure they are supported on their recovery journey.

“When you have supported clients to reach their goals, it gives a sense of reward and achievement.”

No typical day

For Alana, no two days are the same. Some days involve client meetings where they will discuss, plan and work on achieving goals – which can include advocacy work and collaboration with local services. Other days, while in the Dubbo office are spent catching up on administrative tasks, scheduling client meetings and collaborating with the rest of the CPS team.

In contrast, an outreach week can involve travelling thousands of kilometers spanning multiple towns and communities, while managing notes and risk assessments relating to every scheduled client.

Through her work with CPS, Alana has had the opportunity to travel to small communities, including remote First Nations communities – something she has embraced. Alana has a passion for helping these communities and immersing herself in the culture – for Alana, this is a highlight of the role.

Alana reflects on one particularly impactful experience where she supported a client through the process of obtaining their provisional driver’s license.

“I felt that through building rapport and gaining the client’s trust, I was able to work collaboratively with them and the relevant services to achieve their goals”.

This was a significant achievement – which has given the client a renewed motivation to save for her first car alongside gaining newfound independence.

“When a client thanks you for supporting them to achieve goals that have changed their life, it makes all the hard work worth it”.

This service is supported by funding from the Western NSW PHN through the Australian Government’s PHN program.